SCHEDULED GUESTS AT SATURDAY’S ANNUAL DINNER AND SYMPOSIUM TO KICKOFF THE MAPLE LEAFS 2017 IBL SEASON INCLUDE RON CEY; WARREN CROMARTIE; GEORGE FOSTER; FERGUSON JENKINS; JIM LONBORG and ERNIE WHITT
BASEBALL GREATS > Clockwise from top left: Ferguson Jenkins; Ernie Whitt; Jim Lonborg; Ron Cey; George Foster and Warren Cromartie.
It goes without saying that Jack Dominico, the owner of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club, has been one of the most avid supporters of our Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball program through the years.
Jack Dominico
Dominico is passionate in his support of youth baseball and the community surrounding Christie Pits. He has held numerous weekend baseball clinics for those involved in our TP House League Baseball program where young players can learn skills from players on his Toronto Maple Leafs team.
His love of the game and the neighbourhood that encompasses it have been one of the facets that have made TP House League Baseball the jewel that it is.
The TP House League Baseball Committee would like to announce to all the players and parents involved in our program that Jack Dominico will be holding the 30th edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs Forum and Reception on Saturday, May 6 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Marriot Hotel (901 Dixon Road). The forum is held the night before the Leafs play their 49th IBL Season Opener against the Kitchener Panthers at Dominico Field Christie Pits on Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
The Forum is a great opportunity for attendees who are young and old to ask questions to a wide array of former all-star players and hear about their unique experiences in the major leagues. Afterwards, attendees can also obtain autographs from the all stars in attendance.
This year’s baseball greats in attendance at the Toronto Maple Leafs Forum and Reception include:
- Ron Cey: Fondly nicknamed “The Penguin” for his slow waddling running style, this stellar six-time All-Star third baseman played for three teams (Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Oakland A’s). During a distinguished seventeen season MLB career, Cey accumulated a lifetime .261 batting average, with 316 home runs, and 1,139 RBI’s. Playing an instrumental role in leading the Dodgers to their 1981 World Series championship, Cey was named a co-winner of the World Series MVP award.
- Warren Cromartie: Nicknamed the ‘Cro’, this incredibly popular Montreal Expos outfielder played ten distinguished seasons in Major League Baseball and another seven seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He and fellow young outfielders Ellis Valentine and Andre Dawson were the talk of the Majors when they came up together with the Expos in the late seventies. Cromartie has lifetime MLB batting average of .281, with 61 home runs and 391 RBI’s.
- George Foster: One of the most feared right-handed sluggers of his era, Foster was a key component of the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine” that won consecutive World Series in 1975 and 1976. In a stellar eighteen season career with four MLB teams, he accumulated a lifetime batting average of .274, with 348 home runs and 1,239 RBI’s. This five time All Star was also named the NL MVP in 1977 and winner of the Silver Slugger award in 1981. Foster led the National League in home runs in back to back seasons in 1977 and 1978. In addition, he also led the NL in RBI’s for three straight seasons from 1976 to 1978.
- Ferguson Jenkins: During a stellar 19-year major league career, this 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner and three time all-star pitcher remains the only Canadian to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jenkins won 284 games in the majors while recording 3,192 strikeouts and a career 3.34 ERA. Jenkins is one of only four major league pitchers to ever record more than 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 walks.
- Jim Lonborg: Nicknamed “Gentleman Jim”, this All-Star right handed pitcher earned a reputation for fearlessly pitching on the inside of the plate during a fifteen-year career in the Majors with three teams. A key player in leading the Boston Red Sox to a World Series appearance during their “Impossible Dream” season in 1967, Lonborg led American League pitchers in wins (22), games pitched (39), and strikeouts (246) that year. This 1967 AL Cy Young Award winner compiled a lifetime 157-137 record with a 3.86 ERA, 1,475 strikeouts, 90 complete games, and 15 shutouts.
- Ernie Whitt: This gritty All-Star catcher played twelve distinguished seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and was one their original expansion draft players when the Jays joined MLB in 1977. Fondly known as “ERNNNIE!”, Whitt garnered a lifetime .249 batting average, with 134 home runs, and 534 RBI’s during a fifteen season MLB career with four teams. In 1987, Whitt delivered three home runs in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, helping the Blue Jays hit a major league record ten home runs in the game during an 18-3 victory over the O’s. Because of his longevity, leadership and production, Whitt is widely regarded as the Blue Jays greatest catcher of all-time.
Tickets are $85.00 (plus G.S.T.) per person. For tickets or more information to this event, please call (416) 631-2600.